Proceedings of the 23rd annual ascilite conference: Who’s learning? Whose technology?
Why don’t students attend lectures and what can be
done about it through using iPod nanos?
Susan J. Shannon
School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design
The University of Adelaide
How can teachers encourage students to listen in lectures – and indeed to attend them?
What about international students and those who have language difficulties? These were
the questions which triggered a study of the beliefs of first year students about learning
from lectures, and a desire to improve students’ ability to learn from lectures through
providing MP3 uploads and a classroom set of iPod nanos. Students completed a pre- and
post-course evaluation which revealed their beliefs about lecture attendance and
supplementing that attendance by listening to lectures on iPods for revision and relistening.
Keywords: contemporary challenges, personalised learning, iPods, audio streaming,
educational evaluation, mLearning, teaching and learning strategies
Introduction
Often lecturers observe a gradual slide to lecture non-attendance by undergraduate students as the
academic year unfolds and their good intentions regarding lecture attendance (Crisp 2006) are
undermined by their busy lives (Krause, Hartley, James & McInnis, 2005), or possibly what they see as a
marginally useful learning environment (Wood & Burke de Silva, 2006). Non-attendance may
disadvantage those students as well as depress lecturers who have prepared an engaging and interactive
session (Wood & Burke de Silva, 2006). Despite the ability to upload lecture notes and PowerPoints from
course websites (LMS) for anywhere, anytime retrieval, this “self-lecture” is not the same as hearing the
lecturer deliver the lecture with the vocal emphases therein (synchronising audio and Powerpoint is not
easy.) In 2006, in light of Australian evidence about pressure on first year students (Krause et al., 2005) I
realistically abandoned the expectation that students would necessarily attend all lectures, and made
robust provision for those who did not attend (even in a poorly resourced school where technology was
not in place for audio or video lecture streaming). This paper presents an educational evaluation which
uncovers students’ reasons for non-attendance at lectures, and evaluation results which show that students
believe it is important to attend lectures (87.5%) and even more important (92.5%) to get the information
from lectures (whether they attend them or not).
Mellow (2005) asserts that in educating the mobile net generation (born after 1982), the so called “Gen
Y”, “institutions should consider some form of mobile delivery to attend to new students” – “mLearning”.
Duke University selected iPods to deliver content to all first year students in 2004 (Duke, 2004 in
Mellow, 2005) as did Drexel University in 2005 (Perlman, 2005 in Mellow, 2005). The pilot study at the
University of Adelaide built on these initiatives whilst mindful that “mLearning” is a subset of all
learning within a blended learning environment, and is a means to enhance the broader learning
experience – not a primary means to deliver courses. It is a powerful method for engaging learners on
their own terms – especially “for those groups of learners who cannot participate in classroom learning
for whatever reason” (Valentine, 2004 in Mellow, 2005).
Students in a Semester 1, Year 1 compulsory 6 unit bearing course “Human Environments” were the
subjects for this study. There were two lectures per week and four hours of scheduled Workshops (2) and
Tutorials (2). The face-to-face lectures were audio taped and uploaded to the course website (LMS) for
audio streaming as well as converted to MP3 files for uploading to MP3 players. A class set of iPod
nanos was purchased and made available for free loan which 24 students availed themselves of (23%).
Many students in the class already possessed an MP3 player (25) or an iPod (19) so there was reasonable
penetration of 69% of the class having MP3 playing equipment. Students were able to access the twiceweekly lectures in an online environment within a day (audio files) to a week of delivery (for MP3 files).
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ascilite 2006, The University of Sydney
The research questions concerned students’ use of the audio streaming and MP3 facilities to listen to
lectures and their beliefs about the importance of attending lectures and the reasons for non-attendance.
The pilot “nano” project was to be evaluated in terms of value adding to students’ learning outcomes –
judged by did they use this technology? And did they see a benefit in the provision of the technology to
them?
Method
During Orientation Week, prior to the commencement of semester, students were asked to complete an
anonymous online Design Studies questionnaire that posed questions about students’ familiarity with IT
and the online design environment. A response rate of 68% (71/105) was achieved. They also answered
an anonymous university-wide questionnaire about their expectations of university (Crisp, 2006).
At the end of Semester students were asked to complete an anonymous paper-based SELT questionnaire.
Questions were posed about students’ satisfaction with the course and their attitudes to learning in the
course. A response rate of 81% (85/105) was achieved, which is generalisable. The anonymous openended responses were coded and analysed by the researcher. Codes are available on request. A head count
was conducted each week in lectures with attendance ranging from 40% to near 100%.
Results
Table 1: Commencing student details, familiarity with computers & the online environment
Question
Are you a school leaver? Y/N
How old are you? Age
What sex are you? M/F
What internet connection do you
have at your term-time
residence? None, Dial-up
modem, Broadband
Do you have iPod, Other MP3
player, Both, Neither?
How familiar are you with using
a PC (personal computer)?
How much experience do you
have with electronic mail (email)?
How familiar are you with the
World Wide Web as a USER
(browsing)?
How familiar are you with the
World Wide Web as a web site
creator?
How much experience do you
have with internet messaging
(e.g. MSN)?
How much experience do you
have with pod-casting?
Note. * excludes one 49 year old.
Count 69
Count 70
Overall Response Rate 71/105 = 68%
45 Yes
24 No
Average age 19.3*
Male 40
Female 31
Internet Connection 64 / 71 respondents
None 7
Dial Up 23
Broadband 41
iPod 19
Both 4
Other MP3 25
Neither 23
Mean
7 point Likert scale
where 1= never used it
and 7 = thoroughly
familiar
No and % of respondents
who scored 5–7
on Likert scale
No and % of
respondents who
scored 2–7
on Likert scale
[showing some
familiarity]
4.8
48/71 (68%)
71/71 (100%)
5.1
56/70 (80%)
70/70 (100%)
5.7
57/71 (80%)
71/71 100(%)
1.2
5/71 (7%)
21/71 (30%)
4.6
48/71 (68%)
66/71 (93%)
0.6
2/71 (3%)
8/71 (11%)
Students commencing the course reported overall familiarity with computers and the online environment.
Surprisingly for the “net generation” they are inexperienced with pod-casting, despite 44 students already
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Proceedings of the 23rd annual ascilite conference: Who’s learning? Whose technology?
owning MP3 players. Students’ end of semester evaluations (Table 2) reveal that students are satisfied
with their course (92%) and 96% report their ability to work independently being increased whilst 99% of
respondents agreed that they understood the concepts presented in the course. However 19% report
motivation difficulties.
Table 2: Students’ post-course evaluation SELT
Question
Overall Response rate 85/105 = 81%
Overall I am satisfied with the quality of this course
The course stimulates my enthusiasm for further learning
It is made clear what is expected of me
I am motivated to learn in this course
This course helps me to develop my thinking skills
My ability to work independently is being increased
I understand the concepts presented in this course
I attended all the lectures in the course
I believe attending lectures is important
I believe getting the information from lectures is
important (whether you attend them or not)
I listened to the lectures online with audio streaming
I listened to the lectures online with MP3 podcasts
Note. *See text below for explanation.
Mean
7 point Likert scale:
1= strongly disagree;
7 = strongly agree
5.7
5.8
5.6
5.4
5.7
5.9
5.9
5.7
5.9
6.1
3.5
3.2
No and %
of respondents who
scored 5-7 on Likert
scale
78 (92%)
76 (89%)
74 (87%)
69 (81%)
76 (89%)
80 (96%)
79 (99%)
64 (80%)*
70 (87.5%)
74 (92.5%)
24 (33%)
21 (29%)
Triangulation of data reveals that 60% of students (63/105) did not attend all lectures (43/105 responded
to the question “If you missed any lectures, why was that?” with reasons for non-attendance and 20 were
absent on the day of the survey). However 87.5% of students believe attending lectures is important and
92.5% believe getting the information from lectures is important (whether you attend them or not).
Discussion
Forty three reasons given in the open-ended responses for lecture non-attendance ranged from family and
personal issues (mentioned by 22 respondents) including illness (14) to the next most prevalent reason
university workload (7). Five students mentioned lack of motivation and paid employment was also
mentioned five times. Timetabling was mentioned three times and time management twice. Only twice
was the ability to listen online to lectures mentioned at the same time as lack of attendance, but on both
occasions students said they would have missed the lectures anyway regardless of alternative means for
lecture access due to paid employment and travel difficulties.
The provision of an alternative means for “getting the information from lectures” is seen as important to
lecturer and students. Twenty nine percent listened to pod-casts and 33% listened to lectures with audio
streaming.
Students were then asked “Do you think there are benefits to you of having lectures audio streamed and
available as MP3 uploads?” to which 71 students responded. Twenty students simply answered “Yes”,
whilst 21 students said that the pod-casts and audio streaming were an adjunct to attending lectures: “Yes,
in the case of students missing lectures or wanting to revise for the end of Semester by listening to
lectures”. Twelve students remarked about the reflection/revision/re-listening opportunities provided for
their learning: “Yes. Sometimes we may miss some points in the lectures and the lectures audio streamed
and available as MP3 downloads let me re-listen and jot down the notes fully.” Three students who said
that they did not use them nevertheless thought that they were beneficial: “I don’t personally listen to
them but I think other students may find them beneficial and it’s good to have them there just in case”.
Two students mentioned anywhere/anytime learning “Yes, we can rethink the lecture usually while on the
bus etc when you wouldn’t normally be concentrating on anything” and two that there were benefits for
international students: “Also international students can taken their time with it in case they don’t
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ascilite 2006, The University of Sydney
understand it the first time”. Other points made were that video streaming is preferable to audio streaming
(2) although Wood & Burke de Silva (2006) found that this led to major reduction in lecture attendance;
that listening to lectures is easier to follow than viewing PowerPoint slides (1) and that problems with
technology prevented the students from uploading the files (2). Importantly only one student reported that
“it encourages students not to attend the lectures”. Students were then asked for which activities they used
the School’s borrowed nanos. Responses revealed that students combined recreational usage – listening to
music (10) – and listening to lectures (12) with file storage and transfer.
Conclusion
Students in this course received good grades with 2 High Distinctions, 30 Distinctions, 36 Credits and 24
Passes, despite 60% of students not attending all lectures, as a result of family, personal and other issues
(including illness). Ninety two percent were satisfied with the course with 99% believing that they
understood the concepts presented. Students remained engaged and enrolled, with only 9% not
completing the course. Any opportunity to reinforce learning is seen as positive to the students with 89%
of students declaring that there were benefits to them of having the lectures audio streamed and available
as MP3 pod-casts, in particular as an adjunct to lecture attendance and for revision and re-listening.
References
Crisp, G. (2006) First Year Expectations: a report on the outcomes of the University wide survey Keynote
presented at ERGA 2006 Conference, The University of Adelaide, 21 September 2006.
Krause, K.-L., Hartley, R., James, R., McInnis, C. (2005) The First Year Experience in Australian
Universities: Findings from a Decade of National Studies Centre for Studies in Higher Education,
University of Melbourne http://www.cshe.unimelb.edu.au/downloads/FYEReport05KLK.pdf
Mellow, P. (2005) The Media generation: Maximise Learning by getting mobile In H.Goss (Ed) Balance,
fidelity, mobility: Maintaining the momentum? Proceedings of the 22nd Annual Conference of the
Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (pp 469–476) Brisbane:
Teaching and Learning Support Services, Queensland University of Technology
Wood, D. and Burke de Silva, K. (2006) Making the connections: The introduction of interactive lectures
in large first year classes Paper presented at ERGA 2006 Conference, The University of Adelaide, 21
September 2006 http://www.adelaide.edu.au/erga/events/. Accessed 26-9-06
Acknowledgements
Ian Kowalick, Acting Head, School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, The
University of Adelaide, lobbied Faculty for funding to buy the class set of nanos. Dr Susan Pietsch, the
School administration staff and IPD organised the purchase, recording and loan agreements for the nanos.
Bionotes
Dr Susan Shannon, of the School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, The
University of Adelaide, is an architect who is passionately interested in student learning, and how best to
facilitate active learning outcomes, particularly for school leavers.
Author contact details
Dr Susan Shannon, Senior Lecturer, School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design,
The University of Adelaide, ADELAIDE 5005, Australia. Email: susan.shannon@adelaide.edu.au.
Webpage: www.arch.adelaide.edu.au/~sshannon.
Copyright © 2006 Shannon, S. J.
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